Vijayawada: Digitalise old, new play scripts, governement urged

Vijayawada: "It is unfortunate to state that most of the old scripts have decayed and some are not available. The reason why the treasure of plays' scripts is not available for the present generation need to be studied and researched," said Dr Kolli Mohan Rao, theatre promoter.

'The Hans India' interacted with Mohan Rao and sought his opinion about the present theatre.

Mohan Rao opined that the present drama is sailing on a defective boat. Though the present young generation is having enough love and dedication towards drama, they are not properly guided with scripts as they don't know the cream of old and good scripts written by eminent authors like Acharya Atreya, Arudra, NR Nandi, Gollapudi Maruthi Rao, Bhisetty Lakshman Rao, Ganesh Patro, Adivishnu, DV Narasa Raju, Appalacharya, Prakhya, Bhamidipati, Chilakamarthy, Panuganti and Gurajada. He also said that every theatre person should have complete knowledge about the old drama scripts to choose good subjects and also our epics, traditions and culture. Most of the present drama makers are lagging in this aspect. He felt that it is not the mistake of the directors or production makers as most of the good and worthy scripts are not available.

During yesteryears, the drama scripts were published by many publishers like Kondapalli Veeravenkaiah Publications, Rajahmundry, Rama Book Depot, Vijayawada, Aruna Publishing House, Vijayawada, Visalandhra Publishing House. And all these books were preserved in libraries like Young Men's' Happy Club, Kakinada, Velidanla Hanumantharaya Grandhalayam, Vijayawada, Gowthami Grandhalayam, Rajahmundry, District libraries, Vetapalem, Telnali, Eluru and some individuals like Gangotri Sayi, Valluri Siva Prasad, Dr Kandimalla Sambasiva Rao were also preserved some scripts. But still many are to be collected. Dr Rao also said that some of the Parishad organizers like Paruchuri Raghubabu Memorial parishad, Ajo-Vibho, Akkineni Nataka parishad published the dramas enacted on their stage.

Mohan Rao complimented the service rendered by 'Badangeer' Sayi of Visakhapatnam as he preserved more than 10,000 drama books and kept in an order in his 'Rangasai' library wherein access to have the Xerox copies also.

Mohan Rao felt that the State Government Creative and Culture Commission, Department of Language and Culture and Andhra Pradesh Film, TV and Theatre Development Corporation should take initiation to digitalize the old as well as new scripts to keep in website so as to enable for the use of theatre person to develop the theatre in Andhra Pradesh. For this, the Government should collect the printed and manuscripts to start this mission. For this purpose, the concerned departments may take the help of cultural organizations to accomplish the goal.

"In fact, I thought of collecting the preliminary data of the scripts that are published or staged from 1955 to 2020. And I request the artistes and organizations to share the information available with them in WhatsApp or email, to begin this project," Mohan Rao added.